The Opelousas courier., 1887-06-25
The Press Association at Lake
Charles,

Charles.
| On Monday, June l3, we left Opelou-
sas on the 1885 train, bound for Lake
| Charles, where the seventh annual
meeting of the State Press Association
was held on the two following days. At
Lafayette we boarded the Texas train
which had left New Orleans at 7:15 the
same morning, with some fifty members
of the fraternity, including number of
ladies'; and at Crowley we were met by
Messrs Thad. Mayo and G.. A. Fournet,
of the Citizens Reception Committee of
Lake Charles, who, in cheerful obedi-
ence to the generous mandates of their
people, furnished every visitor with free
tickets for hack fare and cards of intro.
duction to the leading citizens of the
progressive little "City by the Lake"
| whose hospitable homes had been
thrown wide open for their reception.
At about p. m. Lake Charles depot
| was reached, and there the remainder
of the Reception Committee, Messrs
Drew, Kinder, Gorham, Mccormick,
Bryan, &c, witl-ca 0G sans dire-Mes-
Sis. Mayo and FOurnet in the lead, took
charge of us, and never from that mo-
ment until our fnal departure did they
cease overwhelming US with kindly
courtesies and attentions.
That evening and the early part of
the next morning the visitors spent in
visiting the points of interest about the
town and neighborbood, and making
the acquaintance of the large-hearted
and progressive people who had given
them such a hearty welcome. And
While we ourselves felt deeply gratifed
at the kind reception given us, we could
not repress the feeling that we, too, had
a share, as it were, in the spontaneous
tribute accorded by all to Lake Charles
hospitality; for, is not Lake Charles the
child of st. Landry? Was not Lake
Charles built up in large part by St.
Landry push and energy and st. Landry
Drawn and muscle? Looking around us,
we saw, among the former residents of
Opelousas, John Mccormick, whose
trumpet-tongued Commercial" !" ming
ling its notes with the sonOrous tones
of the "Echo." heralds far and wide the
resources and advantages of his adopted
town aud parish we saw Thad. Mayo,
the popular Clerk of Court and inimit-
able rdconteur; JOS. C. Gibbs, the affa-
ble new District Attorney Henry Roy,
the City Marshal; Cbas, NJ. Richard,
real estate agent and Deputy Assessor !;
a. NJ. Mayo, Deputy Clerk of Court
! Dave aud Sol Bloch, merchants; Miss
MoIiiS Davis, telegraph operator; Jos.
". Richard, merchant; Bryant Hutch
ms, Marsden Campbell, Louis Howell,
Robt. Price and host of others. From
Washington and other sectiops of St.
Landry are VIM. Curley and Sam Kauf-
man, merchants; Alf. ST. Gaudia, Joe,
Bird, Frank Hardey, Eug. Richard and
many others. Mr.. Bird told us that in
the mill in which he is employed there
are IA hands from Washington alone.
With the proceedings of the Associa-
tion, the essays, the poems read, the
addresses made, our readers are doubt
less familiar. They have been given
ip ertenso in the New Orleans papers,
| and are too voluminous for our columns.
Suffice it to say the meeting was in
every way success. Two thirds of
| the press of the State were represented,
the members of the craft became better
acquainted with each other, the founda-
tions were laid for lasting friendships
between them and for the adoption of
practical measures which will rebound
to the material benefit of. their calling.
However, we cannot dismiss this branch
of our subject without urging upon the
attention of those who hare not read
them. the admirable lecture of Louisi-
ana's famed historian, Hon, Charles
Gayarre, on "Literature in Louisiana, .
and the highly interesting address on
tsThe Industrial Soath, . by that emf
tnent, progressive and broad minded
patriot, Hon. E. A. Burke, State Treas
urer and editor Of the Times Democrat.
Gen. Leon Jastremski, of the Capito-
lian-Advocate, to whom more than to
any one person the present fourishing
condition Of the Association is due, was
unanimously reelected President; Mrs.
Ella Bentley, of the Donaldsonvilie
Chief, 1st Vice President A. j. Lafar-
que, of the Marksville Bulletin, I'd Vice
President; and Miss Addie McGratll
llVigian), of the Baton Rouge Truth,
Secretary aud Treasurer. The follow
ing persons were elected honorary
members: Hon. Cilas. Gayarre, of New
Orleans Col. A r. Mitchell. Thad Ma
yo, Ct. a. Faurnet, Geo. H. Wells, Rev.
lJ. T. Dawes and Mrs. M. a. Bailey, OF
Lake Charles; DR.. Jones Ware, OF
Avoyelles, and T. Baird, of Morehouse.
After spirited bntquit friendly con-
test, Opelousas was selected as the next
place of meeting of the Association.
| We had formidable competitor in the
live and attractive town Of ThibodaHx,
and the gallant old Major Grisamore, Of
the Thibodaux Sentinel, proved himself
an earnest, able and skillful champion
lof its claims. Twice did the Associa-
tion vote upon the question without a
definite result, aud !. third vote was
about to be taken when the Major grace
fully withdrew his town, with the tacit
understanding that the 1889 meeting
should be held within hearing of thai
town clock which astrikes every hour
of the day and night in fourteen differ
ent languages.
After the adjournment of the Associ-
alton on Wednesday evening, Prot. Al
bert, (also former resident of Opelou-
sas,l photographed the journalists in D
group; and at p. m. they, together
4 with tie citizens of Lake Charles, to the
number Of about two hundred, sat down
To sunptnons banquet in the lOWel
story of Williams spacious Opera House
The next morning some forty members
of tIle Association. accompanied by tlle
- ~ q etr